The invention generally relates to a valve. In particular, the invention includes a flow actuated valve which provides an ability to switch between more than one fluid using the flow selector valve and a lower-cost pump/set system that uses a pump originally designed for a single fluid. The flow actuated valve selects a fluid by changing the directional flow of the fluid within the valve to either allow the first fluid source or the second fluid source to flow therethrough.
Enteral feeding pumps are used to supply liquid nutrition to patients who are unable to eat. The pumping system consists of the pump and disposable tubing sets. The typical pump action is achieved by a rotary peristaltic design that uses an elastomeric tubing segment in contact with rotating rollers. The elastomeric segment is part of the disposable tubing set which connects the nutrient container to the patient feeding tube. With “standard” enteral pumps, water required for hydration is delivered to the patient by syringe by either direct connection to the patient feeding tube, or through an auxiliary port on the feeding tube or tube set. The caregiver feeds the patient using the pump and, after feeding, fills a syringe (typically 60 cc) with water and injects into the patient feeding tube one or more times. This involves labor and, if not followed rigorously, can affect patient health.
There are a number of manufacturers that produce enteral feeding pumps capable of also delivering water from a separate container. The pump designs either utilize dual motors/rotors, one for nutrient and one for water, with tubing joined distally by a Y-fitting, or a single motor/rotor with motorized valve actuator. Sets for the former design consist of two liquid source containers leading to two separate elastomeric tubing segments and hardware for mounting. Sets for the latter pump design consist or two separate liquid source containers with proximal tubing connected to a two-way valve followed by a single elastomeric segment and hardware for mounting. Both of these approaches use pump and set components that are higher cost than the “standard” single purpose nutrient pump and set.
Therefore, it would be particularly desirable to provide a flow actuated valve which provides an ability to switch between more than one fluid using a lower-cost pump/set system that uses a pump originally designed for a single fluid.